Glengarra National School

Detached five-bay single-storey national school with dormer attic, dated 1843, on a Palladian plan comprising single-bay single-storey gable-fronted school master’s house with dormer attic to centre having three-bay single-storey side elevations, single-bay single-storey flat-roofed recessed flanking entrance bays leading to single-bay single-storey gabled advanced flanking classroom blocks having three-bay single-storey side elevations. Extensively renovated, c.1995, to accommodate residential use. Pitched (gable-fronted) slate roofs behind parapets with replacement artificial slate, c.1995, to central block, clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone polygonal chimney stacks having stringcourses, and replacement uPVC rainwater goods, c.1995, on rendered eaves. Flat roofs to entrance bays not visible behind parapets. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls to front (south-east) elevations with rendered piers to central block having cut-limestone stringcourse, cut-stone date stone/plaque, and rendered bands to gables having cut-limestone coping to parapets. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls to remainder with unpainted replacement cement rendered walls, c.1995, to central block. Square-headed window openings (in full-height round-headed recess to central block) with cut-limestone sills (some forming sill courses), and replacement uPVC casement windows, c.1995. Square-headed door openings with two cut-stone steps, and glazed tongue-and-groove timber panelled doors. Set back from line of road in own grounds on elevated site with unpainted rendered boundary wall to perimeter of site.

A well-composed building that successfully integrates a school master’s house and a pair of classroom wings (one each for male and female pupils in accordance with the social morals of the period of construction) in a cohesive, integrated design. The plan and appearance of the school, and particularly the almost-Palladian plan, draws some parallels with the D’Israeli Endowed School at Bough in County Carlow. Although now accommodating an alternative use, the school retains most of its original form and early character, although some replacement fittings and materials have eroded some of the historic fabric of the site.